Before each marathon there are a few simple things I do to get a solid idea what the course will be like.
This takes a lot of stress out of my mind when I get to the starting line.
Sometimes I work with my coaching clients to develop a race day strategy based on the course profile (elevation gain, hills, aid stations, out-and-backs, etc.).
Your study of the course doesn’t need to be that involved. Just start with these five things. Continue Reading →
*[Audio Content Available For Members Only. Click Here to Join Now]
In this episode we speak with Ian Sharman the winner of the 2016 Leadville Trail 100 Ultramarathon -a race he’s won three times.
In this interview you will hear Ian describe what it’s like to run 100 miles, tips on recovery and nutrition, and what to tell yourself when the going gets tough no matter what distance you are training for. Continue Reading →
Eric Strand saw a 1999 marathon as a one-time thing. Now, thanks in part to Dean Karnazes, Strand has completed dozens of marathons and the Leadville 100 five times.
By Henry Howard
Eric Strand had been fascinated by long-distance running ever since Frank Shorter won the marathon gold medal in the 1972 Olympics.
Years passed and before he knew it, 39-year-old Strand had just finished graduate school and his kids were becoming self-sufficient. “I’d always wanted to run a marathon and everyone knows you can’t run 26.2 miles once you turn 40, so I signed up for the 2000 Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn.,” he said.
That year — 1999 — he finished the “one and done” marathon. But instead of hanging up the running shoes, Strand has upped his running game to a total of 60 marathons and ultras. Continue Reading →
Low back pain (LBP) can be so severe and debilitating that it can completely derail your training.
It’s hard to run if your back, buttocks or leg hurts. You either won’t try to do it or you try to suffer through it only to be rewarded with worsening symptoms later on. However, initial activity and exercise are critical when treating LBP. Continue Reading →
*[Audio Content Available For Members Only. Click Here to Join Now]
We are really excited to have Jared Ward on this episode of the MTA podcast. We spoke with him not long after the 2016 Olympics in which he finished 2:11:30 (6th place) in the marathon.
Jared is Professor of Statistics at BYU. He wrote his master’s thesis on Optimal Pacing Strategy in the Marathon. Continue Reading →
The author at Devou Park, with Cincinnati in the background
By Henry Howard
I had quite the series of training runs a couple of weeks ago. Lightning, a plunge into a creek and a mysterious bite. But after all those dismal obstacles faded into just memories, I experienced a run that was full of brightness and positive energy.
As I reflected back on those 72 hours of oddities, I recalled one of my favorite but little-known movie lines. It’s from the “grandma” character in the 1989 film, “Parenthood,” describing why she likes the roller coaster.
“It was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn’t like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it.”
Tupelo Half Marathon Medal
I decided to use this race as a supported training run for my build up for the Berlin Marathon later this month.
Even without Berlin I would have found a reason to do this race. The t-shirt and medal are too good to pass up!
The race motto is “Trample the Weak Hurdle the Dead”.
What’s not to love about that?! Continue Reading →
Meet up with Angie and Trevor and other MTA runners at the Starbucks near the Brandenburg Gate on the Saturday before the Berlin Marathon!
This Starbucks is close to the Brandenburg Gate and the start/finish area of the marathon so we might grab a drink and walk around the plaza as a group. Link to the Facebook Event. Please let us know if you plan to attend.
*[Audio Content Available For Members Only. Click Here to Join Now]
In this episode we talk with marathon great Frank Shorter -who won the 1972 Olympic Marathon in Munich, ignited a running boom and inspired a generation.
We also get his top advice for beginners in the marathon distance. Continue Reading →
Question: How can flatlanders prepare to run a marathon at elevation? Maybe your next race will be a mountain trail run but you currently train at sea level or in a place with no hills. We find ourselves in this situation living in S.E. Missouri. There is hope.
Here’s a question we recently received about how to live low and train high. Continue Reading →
*[Audio Content Available For Members Only. Click Here to Join Now]
I recently ran a marathon billed “The Highest Road Marathon on Planet Earth.” The 9th annual Madison Marathon took place near Ennis, MT on July 23, 2016. This race is part of the Greater Yellowstone Race Series.
The next day Trevor ran the Big Sky Half Marathon. In this podcast episode we recap both races and all the nitty-gritty details of running a tough mountain race. Continue Reading →
Even as my health has improved, I wasn’t sure about my overall outlook. InsideTracker’s report reveals my successes and guides me on where to improve.
By Henry Howard
I began running about five years ago as a way to improve on my health and cross “finish a marathon” off my bucket list. The side benefits have included eating a healthier diet and eliminating soda — with the exception of a rum and coke from time to time. Continue Reading →
